Lots of Turkeys in the oven this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving and local health officials warning people to make sure the bird is properly cooked to avoid food poisoning.
Andrew Burton is a Food Safety Program Manager with the Grey Bruce Health unit and says the best way to thaw a frozen bird is slowly in the fridge and allow about five hours per pound.
If you are short on time then Burton says you can thaw the bird in cold running water.
He says two of the most common mistakes people make in preparing the Thanksgiving dinner is not cooking the turkey enough, and have other food cross contaminated by raw or undercooked turkey juices.
Burton says another problem area is packing too much stuffing into the bird and that does not allow the stuffing to be fully cooked.
He says either pack the stuffing loosely so there is some air circulation in the cavity, or better still, cook it separately.
Burton says the inside temperature of the Turkey must reach about 180 degrees or 82 degrees Celsius to be fully cooked.
Once you have carved it, try to get into the fridge as quickly as possible as the bacteria that can food poisoning can double in about 20 minutes in perfect conditions.
Burton says if people want more information food safety, they can visit the Health Units web site at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca
